Bhaktapur, Nepal

Introduction :

Located about 20 km east of Kathmandu in the Kathmandu Valley, Bhaktapur is known as the 'City of Devotees', the 'City of Culture', the 'Living Heritage', and 'Nepal's Cultural Gem'. It is one of the 3 royal cities in the Kathmandu Valley. The others are Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, and Patan.
Bhaktapur is filled with monuments, most terra-cotta with carved wood columns, palaces and temples with elaborate carvings, gilded roofs, open courtyards. The city is dotted with pagodas and religious shrines.

History:

Founded in the 12th century by King Ananda Malla (according to various chronicles), Bhaktapur was the capital city of the Greater Malla Kingdom until the 15th century and was an independent kingdom from then until the 18th century.

The last three Malla rulers of Bhaktapur were Jitamitra Malla, Bhupatindra Malla, and Ranjit Malla. These rulers played key roles in building the palaces and temples of Durbar Square.
In 1744, Prithvi Narayan Shah, descendent of Dravya Shah, who was the founder of the Gorkha dynasty, began a conquest march in the Kathmandu Valley, capturing and unifying Kathmandu, Patan, Bhaktapur, and the smaller towns of the Valley under one rule.

After a period of instability and a bloody coup in 1846, Jang Bahadur Kunwar Ranaji took control of Nepal. His Rana dynasty ruled Nepal until 1951, when the Congress Party formed a new government. In 1960, King Mahendra took control, banned political parties, and instituted land reforms. Political turmoil continued throughout the late 20th century.
In 1934, a major earthquake destroyed over 2,000 houses and severely damaged over 2,000 more homes. Over 1,000 people died in this quake. Restoration of many buildings was undertaken over the years, including efforts funded by West Germany in the late 1980's and by the U.S. in the 1990's.

Travel & Tourism:

Bhaktapur is rich in architectural beauty, filled with ancient Hindu and Buddhist religious sites, and palaces and courtyards where tourists can easily spend days absorbing the traditions and culture of the Newars.

Bhaktapur's Durbar ('Royal') Square was added to the list of World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1979.

Durbar Square

• Almost 1/3 of the ancient temples, monasteries, and other ornate buildings were destroyed in the earthquake of 1934. Yet many gems remain.
  
  
• In Durbar Square, tourists will find the 55-Window Palace, which served as the seat of royalty prior to 1769. The palace has elaborately carved windows and doors and houses the National Art Gallery, with Buddhist Paubha scroll paintings, palm leaf manuscripts, and stone carvings.
  

• Just outside the palace, at the entrance to the Taleju Temple Complex is the Golden Gate, built in 1756, a splendid example of Repoussé metalwork. There also lies the Royal Bath, with its Golden Faucet.
  
• Durbar Square is also home to the Big Bell, built by the last Malla king of Bhaktapur, Ranajit Malla in the 18th century. It was rung to pay homage to the Goddess Taleju and to harken the public to town meetings.
  
  Today it is rung twice a day as a tribute to the Goddess Taleju. Next to this bell is the Barking Bell, so named because dogs bark to its ring.
  
• Also in the Square lies the Yaksheswor Mahadev Temple, built by Yaksha Malla in the 15th century. It was modeled after the Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu and was designed with ornate wooden struts decorated with erotic carvings.
  
• Other sites in and around the square include the octagonal Chyasin Mandap, Siddhi Laxmi Temple, Shiva Temple (Fasi-dega), Vatsala Temple, Bhandarkhal Complex, Chatu Brahma Mahavihar, Indrayani Temple, Balakhu Ganesh Temple, Tripura-sundari Temple and the Char Dham symbolizing the four greatest Hindu pilgrimage sites.
  
• The Phasi Dega Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva, affords expansive views of the entire city.
  
  Taumadhi Square
  
  
  
   
  
  
  • The Nyatpol (or Nyatapola) Temple, dedicated to the Goddess Lakshmi, lies in this square. Built in 1702 with 5 stories, this is Nepal's tallest pagoda temple.
    
    It's struts, doors, windows, and tympanums are decorated with carvings of divine figures, including a pair of 2 m high stone statues of the legendary Rajput wresters-Jaimal and Pata; a pair of elephants, a pair of lions, a pair of griffons and a pair of tantric goddesses known as Singhini and Toyahagrini.
    
  • The Bhairavnath Temple, which was destroyed by an earthquake in 1934 and subsequently rebuilt, houses a gilded bust of the terrifying Bhairav, considered either a manifestation of Lord Shiva or a deity that guards his home.
    
  • Also here are a Pottery Square and the Temple of Jeth Ganesh, dating back to the 14th century.
    
  
  Dattatreya Square
  In this square, lie many of Bhaktapur's Hindu monasteries, called maths, as well as temples and museums. The three-story pagoda-style Dattatreya Temple, with statues of the Hindu trinity, was built by King Yaksha Malla in 1428. It is claimed that the building was constructed from a single piece of wood from one tree.
  • At the entrance are two large sculptures of the Jaiput wrestlers, Jaimala and Pata (as in the Nyatapola Temple), a “Chakra”, and a gilded metal statue of Garuda, a bird-like divinity. Around the temple are wood carved panels with erotic decorations.
    
  • During the Mohani (Dashain) festival, in the Wane Layaku complex, which lies just southwest of the Dattatreya Temple, a rare Ghau-batacha (water clock) is displayed.
    
  • The Pujari Math, which houses the Woodcarving Museum and dates back to the early 15th century, is adorned with the intricately carved Peacock Window. The Chikanpha Math, across the street, houses the Brass and Bronze Museum, with its collection of ancient Malla housewares and ritual metalware.
    
  • In Dattatreya Square, lies a Pottery Square, where potters work and display their handicrafts.
  
  Durga and Bhairava
  Long vanished are the palace wings west of the National Gallery. Of the one-time summerhouse" of the queens only the imposing gatekeepers, Durga and Bhairab, have survived. Carved in 1701 they look no less fearsome today. Durga, brandishing an array of weapons and symbols, needs only one of her eighteen arms to slay the demon. Bhairab has to be content with twelve arms, but her necklace of skulls is every bit as impressive as her companion's. The sculptor is said to have had his hands cut off after completing his work, to prevent his genius serving others.
  
  Mul Chowk / Kumari Chowk
  
  
  
  At one time the vast palace precinct is reputed to have comprised 99 courtyards. Six of these survive, though for security and religious reasons the majority are closed to visitors. From Sundhoka a path winds round Bhairava Chowk to a carved wooden entrance gate, the only access to Mul Chowk. This oldest and most central of the palace courts is dedicated to the goddess Taleju.
  
  With a little persuasion visitors may be allowed to look into the court, catching a glimpse of the main temple, to the left, together with statues of Ganga and Jamuna, even more ornate than their counterparts in Patan. On the far (west) side is a triple temple portal, the central opening giving access not to the devotional images but into Kumari Chowk. Both Mul Chowk and Kumari Chowk are considered pearls of Nepalese architecture to embellish which was one of the noblest obligations of the king. Viewed from the outside the buildings appear modest, revealing little of the splendors within.
  
  With their decline the abodes of the kings fell into disrepair; but the abodes of gods are preserved for as long as people believe in them. Here the elaborately carved roof struts, the murals and the bronze figures present an almost complete pantheon, serving to glorify the deity of the court and providing a unique setting for rituals and ceremonies.
  
  National Gallery
  On the left of the Golden Gate there used to be a second building with low stories and heavily carved window frames and struts supporting its widely jutting roof. This was demolished in the mid 19th c. and replaced by the present hall. Only the portal with its decorative stone figures survives from Jitamitra Malla's time. The pair of lions were already there in 1697 when, as in Kathmandu, guardian gods were added in the form of statues of Hanuman and Narashima.
  
  The doorway is now the entrance to the Nepalese National Gallery, which contains a collection of more than 200 paintings from the 14th-20th c. Among items of particular note is the Yoga Purusha illustrating the chakras of the human body, a favorite subject for imitation by modern thangka painters. The priceless old thangkas on display highlight the poor quality of those sold in souvenir shops.
  
  Nyatapola Mandir
  
  
  
  
  Since the name of the Tantric goddess remains unknown the temple is called Nyatapola (Five Storied), making it unique in the Kathmandu valley where temples are always named after their deities.
  
  Nyatapola Mandir is the tallest in the valley, rising to a height of 50 m (164 ft) on a five-tiered platform which further enhances its monumental effect. The foot of the stairway is flanked by the so-called Dvara Pallas, two legendary wrestlers Jayamel and Phattu, credited with the strength of ten men. Above them in turn come two elephants, two lions, two griffins and at the top the Tantric goddesses Baghini in the shape of a tiger and Simhini as a lion - a hierarchy of beings each ten times more powerful than the one below. Surpassing all in strength is the Tantric goddess of the temple on whose image only Brahmins can set eyes.
  
  The temple is distinguished not only by its size but also its perfect proportions and ornamental detail. The 20 columns of the veranda appear at once slender yet strong, all being beautifully carved, as are the door frames. Even more breathtaking is the carving on the 108 struts supporting the five roofs. The various forms of the Bhagawati Mahishamardini and other deities are portrayed with great artistry.
  
  Bhairava Temple
  
  
  
  Unlike other temples, which are almost always square, the Bhairava Temple in Taumadhi Tole has the typical rectangular plan of a Bhairava or Bhimsen shrine. These are built in the style of a house, as is clearly seen from the Akasha Bhairava Mandir in Kathmandu. The worship room is accordingly not on the ground floor.
  
  The history of the Kasi Biswanath Mandir can be traced back to the 16th c. The original single-story building was enlarged by Bhupatindra Malla in 1717. After the 1934 earthquake it was completely rebuilt in the traditional style incorporating some of the old temple, a third story being added at the same time.
  
  Access to the temple is via a small shrine dedicated to Bhairava's bearer Betal. Every year Betal accompanies the god in the Bisket Jatra Festival and is accorded a brief moment of adoration. Thereafter he remains bound face-downwards to the beams of his temple, being considered an evil spirit who brings ill fortune.
  
  The 56 carved roof struts portray Bhagmati and the mother deities. In contrast to the lower roofs which are tiled, the upper is gilded and crowned by seven magnificent toranas (doors surrounded by figural decoration). Bhairava's image is located on the first floor, from where the god can look out of five gilded windows onto the square. The god's mask also appears at a window between the middle and lower roofs. During the Bisket Jatra Festival Bhairava is borne through the streets in a chariot procession.
  

  See Around Bhaktapur

             Dhulikhel
  
  
  
  The little town of Dhulikhel (pop. 10,000) lies on a pass to the east of the Banepa Valley at a height of 1440 m (4726 ft) with a magnificent view of the Himalayas. The town has benefited for hundreds of years from being on the trade route between the Kathmandu Valley and Tibet.
  
  Dhulikhel's public buildings, including the high school, post office and prison, lie on the road running south-east. The old village nucleus is found in the opposite direction, on a hill. In the main square are the three-storied Harasiddhi Temple and a tiled shrine dedicated to Vishnu, its front graced by two contrasting figures of Garuda. Temples to Krishna and Bhagwati are found in the western part of the town. From the three-storied Bhagwati pagoda there is a splendid view of the Banepa Valley. Dhulikhel's Shiva Temple occupies a delightful position at the foot of a small ravine. A stream flows through the precinct which also contains a curious and most varied collection of statues and images. The best view of the Himalayas is obtained from a little shrine dedicated to Kali on the ridge south of the town. The roughly half hour walk can be continued south to Namobuddha, a Buddhist pilgrimage site.
  
  • Nagarkot -
    
    
    
    The second-highest point on the Kathmandu Valley rim, Nagarkot, at an altitude of 2,175, offers panoramic views of the Himalayas and Mt. Everest. It lies 20 km northeast of Bhaktapur. The area offers hiking trails that lead into Tamang villages.
    
  • Changu Narayan -
    
    
    
    The oldest temple in the valley, build in 464 AD by Kind Mandev, the Changu Narayan lies 6 km north of Bhaktapur. A popular hiking trail leads from here to Nagarkot.
    The temple of Changu Narayan lies 8 km (5 mi.) north of Bhaktapur. Perched on the end of a ridge extending from Nagarkot, its striking and scenically beautiful setting adds further enchantment to this important shrine.
    
    The temple complex of Changu Narayan is one of the principal sights of Nepal and is on the UNESCO list of protected world cultural heritage sites.
    
    Changu Narayan is probably the oldest temple in the whole Kathmandu Valley. Its principal image was installed in the 4th c., at about the same time as the Shiva lingam in Pashupatinath. Repeatedly destroyed by fire and earthquake, the shrine was on each occasion rebuilt larger and more richly decorated than before. The present, classically proportioned pagoda, dating from 1702, is a masterpiece of form and decoration. The courtyard boasts an almost unparalleled collection of superb Nepalese wood- carving, metal-work and sculpture. Even as recently as the turn of the century the court was out-of-bounds to non-Hindus. In 1901 the French historian Sylvain Lévi was forced to make notes standing at the entrance while his Nepalese assistant described the scene to him.
    
    The struts on the pagoda's lower roof are carved with the ten incarnations of Vishnu. The woodwork has been painted in the course of the present century, which, while tending to obscure the fine detail of the carving, nevertheless harmonizes with the overall opulence of the decoration. The result is a feast of materials and hues.
    
    In addition to the main temple the courtyard contains shrines to Krishna and Shiva, the Ashta Matrika shrine, and a number of exceptionally fine sculptures.
    
    In the south-west corner are three different portrayals of Vishnu. As Vishnu Vikranta he is the dwarf transformed into a giant, striding across the universe in only three steps. As the lion-headed Vishnu Narasingha he slays a demon with his bare hands.
    
    The third relief, of Vishnu Vishvarupa, or Vishnu the All-in-one, is the most fascinating. Dating from the 8th c. it is divided horizontally into zones symbolizing the several levels of the universe over which the god presides. With his ten heads and ten arms, and born aloft by Garuda, he forms a cosmic column in the center of the universe, at the base of which the Sleeping Vishnu reclines on the primeval ocean. Various deities, including Shiva holding a rosary, trident, pot and World Seed, are gathered on either side.
    
    A stone column by the west front of the temple bears the earliest inscription to be found in the Kathmandu Valley. Engraved in 464 it records the victory of King Manadeva over the "barbarians" from the north and south.
    
    The nearby figure of Garuda is thought by archaeologists to have come from the column. The features of Vishnu's bearer-companion are probably those of the King, who considered himself the god's representative on Earth.
    
  • Thimi - Thimi is a traditional Newar city noted for its a vegetable garden and handicrafts. It lies about 5 km west of Bhaktapur.
    
    
    
    
  • Bode - This town, about a 20-minute walk from Thimi, hosts the the river-side shrine of Nil Barahi. Each year on the second day of the Nepalese New Year, the town celebrates the tongue-boring festival, in which a villager has a thin metal spike thrust through his tongue by the temple’s priest. After parading around town carrying a bamboo rack of oil lamps, the spike is removed and packed with mud from the temple floor. If no blood flows, the villager earns great respect for himself and the town; however, if blood flows it is considered a bad omen for the coming year.
    
    
  • Surya Vinayak Shrine -
    
    
    
    The Surya Vinayak is just a 10 to 20 minute walk from Bhaktapur and attracts visitors and locals praying for good luck to the god Ganesh. The shrine is located in a forest at the top of a hill.
    About a kilometer from Bhaktapur, on the south side of the Hanumante river, stands the most important of four shrines to Ganesh in the Kathmandu Valley. Situated on the eastern side of a wooded hill the shikhara-style temple is the first of the four to feel the rays of the rising sun. It is here therefore that Ganesh first renews his acquaintance with the sun god Surya who, in a kind of inversion of ritual, displays by his daily "round" of the valley his special regard for this particular shrine.
    
    In front of the 17th c. temple stands a column bearing Ganesh's attribute the rat, in unusually large and realistic form. The god promises help to children slow in learning to speak and on Tuesdays in particular he is brought gifts of ladoo, his favorite food, to seek his favor. On the hill there is a little shrine dedicated to Parvati, the mother of Ganesh. From here there is a good view of the valley.
  
  
  Transportations
  
  If you are not arriving as part of a tour group, you may take mini bus (bound for Kamal Binayak stop in Bhaktapur) or big bus (bound for Chyamasingha stop in Bhaktapur) from Bus Stop near Bhadrakali. You can save time by taking Express Bus (this does not stop in between except in Maitighar and Sallaghari) from Bagbazar in Kathmandu. Recently, micro buses also started service of suttling between Kathmandu and Bhaktapur, which are pretty fast.
  For those who haven't experienced a public bus in South Asia, it will be a way to (literally!) rub shoulders with locals. In either case the ride takes about 40-60 minutes and drops you off just outside of town. The cost of the fare from Kathmandu to Bhaktapur is approximately 35 NRS (Sept 2009) by bus for local people. Average taxi fee from Thamel to Bhaktapur (one way) costs about 800-1000 NRS for the 16 km drive. You can easily hail a taxi or pick up a return bus to either Patan or Kathmandu just outside of the first main gate that leads into the city.